Lincoln Diaz-Balart: “as one reads history, many times it seems as though the figures that one encounters are larger than life. It is uncommon…”

“as one reads history, many times it seems as though the figures that one encounters are larger than life. It is uncommon to be absolutely certain that, during one's life, one has met someone who is like the greatest of the characters that one has met in history. That one person that I know, and am absolutely certain that she has already come to be known not only as one of the greatest orators in the history of Florida, one of the greatest public servants in the history of Florida, but one of the greatest Floridians, is the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Meek). I have had the honor, the profound honor and privilege, to know her and to be her friend since we served together in the Florida legislature; and her wisdom and her fairness and her compassion and her goodness and her strength and toughness on behalf of those in need are legendary, and will be more legendary each day. I join all Floridians, all who have known her, in thanking her, in wishing her well, in wishing her and her family and her son, who will be here with us soon, Godspeed. Thank you, Carrie.”